Apparatus for use in tabulating systems.



H. HOLLERITH.

APPARATUS FOR USE INIABULATING SYSTEMS.

AYPLICATIOII TILEb JUNE20.1913.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

4 sums-sum 1.

Wafman/ Z OZZcr 371/. W W

H. HOLLERITH.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN 'IABULATING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZO. 1913.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914'.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7/6 rmanZbZZcr-o' Z7;

H. HOLLERITH.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN TABULATING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE-20,1913.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SEE 3.

lwuaul o'a Wihuzoaco H. HOLLERITH.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN TABULA'IING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1913.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN HOLLERI'I'H, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN TABULATING SYSTEMS.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, HERMAN HoLLEIu'rI-r, of 'ashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and.useful Improvements'in Apparatus for Use in Tabulating Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de script-ion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to-make and use the same.

The primary object of this invention is to provide in a tabulating system means for recording the numbers indicated by a series of registering devices; and a further object is to effect such recording synchronously with the return of the registering means to initial position.

The invention. is especially adapted for use in connection with the class of recordcards employed in the Hollerith tabulating system, such cards having index-point positions which are preferably indicated by punched holes located on each particular record' card in accordance with the data which that card represents.

By means of my present invention the recording mechanism will be automatically controlled by means operated synchronously with the actuation of the rcgistering rneans, and the actual record will be made as such registering means and Controlling means are returned to their initial positions.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows, diagrammatically, a portion of a typical but not an essential form of apparatu's embodying m invention. Fig. 2 shows,'diagrammatically, another portion of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4=is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on line 4-4, Fig.- 3. Figs. 5 and 6 show details of the machine. Fig. 7 is a face view of a record-card.

Therecord-cards are preferably placed on edge, with the cipher at the top, upon a platform 1, and are fed, one by. one, to the action of record-actuated contacts by a reciprocating cross-head 2 and feed-rollers 3, in gear with-the main operating shaft. As the feed ing mechanism shown is substantially sim ilar to ilzat described in my U. S. Letters Patent So. 945,236, further description thereof is unnecessary. Conducting brushes 4. 4 and 4", are normally in contact with plates 5, 5'. and 5", insulated from each other, but the brushes and their contact plates are separated when a'card .is fed be- Specification of Letters Patent.

'ing armatures 13, 13 and 13",-'sa'id ma Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

Application filed June 20,- 1913. Serial No. 774,924.

tween them. Each brush' audit its respective plate form a pair of electrical contacts,.

which are actuated or permitted tocome together and move apart, by the record. When a card is fed between the brushes and. the contact plates, the index-pointpositions of each column of the group to which the contact brushes apply, are presented success vely t0 the brushes or record-actuated devices, and when the punched hole in a column registers with the brush of that column,

the brush will contact with its complementary member, and an electrical contact will be established momentarily and the corresponding registerin device will be operated in the manner we 1 known in connection with the tabulating registers of the Hollerith system, and according to my present invent10n means I for controlling the recording mechanism will likewise be operated in synchronism with the registering device. The brushes are/mounted on a common plate 6 which is energized. when a punched hole register with a brush, being in circuit with a attery 7. i

I do not deem it necessary to describe the various details employed in connection with the tabulating registers, all of which are well understood by those skilled in the art;

which includes the registering device, during the intervals between the moving cards is opened, but is closed just as the edge of an advancing card passes between the brushes and the plates, and remains closed until just as the card is about to pass from under the brushes. I have shown in Fig. 2 contacts 8 controlled by a cam 9 for accomplishing the result just stated. I The several contact plates 5, fi'and 5 are separately connected in circuit with relay magnets 12, 12 and .12", having circuit close being in circuit with cont-rolling magnets 14, 14 and. 14", whose armatures are in-theform of spring-held levers 15 for controlling clutches 16 splined so as to slide on a shaft 17 andturn therewith. On this shift are.

located three registeringwheels- 18, 18 and 18*, which are intended to illustrate a t pi-. cal form of registering apparatus; but t eir number may, of course,-be varied, as desired,- that is to say, the number of registering de vices will correspondyto the .number of groups of a recordcard." The wheel 18 in-f fio ' it will sullice to point out. that the circuit,

.dicates units; wheelisltens; and. the wheel i8 hundredscorresponding to a series of columns in a-single group, and these wheels are suitably supported so that the turning" .the latter are returned to zero ready for the next operation.

The particular construction of the recording mechanism and 'its controlling means may be widely varied. -I have shown the registering devices in the form of gearwheels meshing with a second series of gearwheels 20 loosely mounted on a normally idle re-setting shaft 21. Each of the wheels 20 has lateral'projections 22 extending therefrom and 'which correspondto the nine digits and the cipher, as indicated in Fig. l, and in addition thereto eachwheel has an extra projection 23 between the lugs corresponding to the digit 9 and the cipher. Each wheel 20 carries a spring-held pawl or tooth 24 which is designed to be engaged by a shoulder or cut-out 25 of shaft 21 so that when. the latter is rotated all of the wheels 20 may be returned to zero. When in this latter position a circuit 26 is closed through contacts 27 as shown by the position of the contacts controlled by the unit wheel 20 in the diagrammatic view, Fig. l. The contacts are controlled by pivoted arms 28 ig. 4) which in turn are controlled by projections 22, The contacts 27 of the several elements 20 are all within the circuit 26 which includes a series of relay magnets 30, 30 and 30", with corresponding armatures, and a second series of control magnets 31, 31 and 31", the armatures of which actuate pawls 32 which are designed to engage and hold the type-carrying members of the re cording apparatus.

According to the means shown the recording apparatus comprises a series of typc-carrylng members 35 each of which is preferably in the form of a double sector loosely mounted on a. common shaft 36 upon which they are designed to reciprocate, being moved in one direction, counter: clockwise. by springs 37 and in their opposite dire 'tions by a hail 38 which is recipro .cated on haft 36, saidbail being extended through ar'cu a1 slots 39 in the several sectors. On their outer edges these sectors carry type ranging from 0 to 9, I tile their inner edges have a corresponding number of ratchet teeth Q 40, which teeth are designed to be engaged by pawls 32, the movement ofany of the several type-carrying members being arrested simultaneously with the closing of the circuit through the respective contact 27. The shaft 36 carries a sprocket-wheel 41 which is engaged by a belt 42 which also engages a sprocket wheel on the re-setting shaft 21. This belt is driven by a sprocketwheel 43 -on an operating shaft 44, and said wheel 43 is so proportioned to the sprocket: wheel on shaft 21 that the latter will make two revolutions to one of the former. When it is desired to re-set the registering device and to record the total represented thereby the circuit 26 is closed, first, through a temporary contact 45, and then through a permanent contact 46, and as the respective magnets of the several elements 20 are energized through the closing of the circuit through the respective contacts27, the typecarrying sectors 35 willbe arrested so that the numbers printed thereby will correspond to the total represented by the registering device. Although in )ractice the operation of the machine will e wholly automatic, depending simply upon the manual closing of the circu'itthrough contacts 45, in order toinitiate the operation, in the present instance I have indicated the operating shaft 44 as having a handle 50 which is normally held locked by a lever 51, the releasing of which closes the circuit through contacts 45, andimmediately thereafter, as soon as the machine is set in operation by the revolution of shaft 44, contacts 46 are closed before the circuit is broken through the contacts 45, said contacts 46 being controlled by a constantly-revolving cam 52 which travels in synchronism with the operating shaft 44. The circuit is held closed through contacts 46 while cam 52 and shaft 44 make one-half of a revolution. During this half-revolution the bail 38 of the type-carrying members completes its movement in a counterclockwise direction so that the segments may move under the influence of their springs 37. At the completion of this movement of bail 38 the electric circuit is broken through contacts 46 and the printing operation is performed by a st-riker 60 forcing a strip of paper 61 against the inking ribbon 62 passed between the paper and the type. During the second half of the revolution of the opcrating shaft 44 the bail 38 returns the typecarrying segments to their initial positions, but both contacts 45 and 46 being open there is no electric circuit, and hence the pawls 32 will not drag over the teeth 40.

The means for operating the bail 38 is more clearly indicated in Fig. 5. Segmental rack-teeth 65 of the bail mesh with toothed segments 66 carried by a shaft 67 which is reciprocated through the inst-rumentality of a cam 68 and a spring 69 acting on an arm 70 carrying a roller 71 with which the cam engages.

operating the striker 60. a As shown in Fig.

6 this is accomplished by cams on shaft 36 engaging the rollers of levers 76 on.

which the striker is mounted.

I have not shown means for feeding the paper or actuating the inking ribbon, since any suitable or preferred means may be employed for these purposes, it only being necessary that the paper be intermittently fed so as to receive the imprint of the alined type of the type-carrying members.

Each of the type-carrying members is provided with a pivoted tooth which is immediately adjacent to the tooth 40 which corresponds to the cipher, and this pivoted tooth has a laterally extending lu'g 81 which projects into a cam groove 83 in the next higher type-carrying member. The purpose of this is to prevent the cipher on an unactuated type-carrying member from being recorded. In other 'words, the pivoted tooth of the units type-carrying member will be dmwn out, of the way of the pawl 32 by the groove in the-tens type-carrying member, and that of the latter by thehundredsmemher. When the, additional lugs 23 of controlling elements 20 close the circuit through contacts 27 the respective pawls 32 will engage teeth .80 of the type-carrying members so as to prevent'any imprint of any ofthe type carried thereby and hold such members from moving under the influence of their springs 37 unless the next higher member has been moved by its spring, whereupon, if

the pivoted tooth be drawn out ofthe'way of the pawl 32 the member will move until arrested by such pawl engaging that one of the teeth 40 corresponding to the member represented by the respective registering element.

In operation, the cards are fed one at a time from the platform and are caused to be passed between the brushes and their contact plates. As a circuit is closed through the index'point position of any one'of the columns of the card the respective registering device will be operated, and through it the respective registering mechanism controlling element 20 will be moved to a corresponding extent. After the card has assed through the machine, the circuit 26 is closed through contacts 45, and also through contacts 46 as shaft 44 is rotated,

and during-the first half of such rotation the bail moves counter-clockwise and the several type-carrying members are arrested as their. magnets are energized through the closing of contacts 27, which closing imme diatcly follows the initial movement of any one of the controlling elements 20 as they are returned to their starting points by the resetting shaft 21. All this, as well as the rinting of the total, is accomplished "durmg the first half of the'revolution of the operating shaft 44, and during the secondhalf of such revolution the type-carrying members are returned to their starting points by the reversed movement of the bail.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the several controlling members 20 of the recording mechanism in the positions they occupy when resented by the registering device, namely,

While I have shown and described electri'cally-operated means for effecting the control of the apparatus, y'etit is ,not any intention to restrict my invention to the employment of electricity, since otherequivalent means may be employed instead of an electric circuit or circuits and electrically operated. devices; but I consider electricity to be the most advantageous agent and have therefore selected, for the 'pur oseof-de sc-ripti'on, an electrically-operate apparatus,

and in this connection it is to be undertsood' that where electricity is employed as an actuating or controlling agent the apparatus may be arranged for operation either on open or closed circuits.

I claim as my invention: 4 1. In apparatus of the character-described, the-combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally inactive, recording mechanism controlling means actuated in synchronism with said registering device, an electric circuit, electromagnets in said circuit, means for actuating said recording mechanism, and means actu ated by said recording mechanism controlling means for closing said circuit.

2. In apparatus of the character de-- scribed, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally inactive, recording mechanism controlling means actuated in synchronism with said registering device, an electric circuit, electromagnets in said circuit, means'for actuating said recording mechanism, and means actuated by said recording mechanism controlling means for closing said circuit ,as said registering device is returned to its initial position.

3. In apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally inactive, recording mechanism controlling means: attuated in synchronism with said registering device, an electric circuit, electro' magnets in said circuit, means actuated by said recording mechanism controlling means for closing said circuit, and means for synchronously actuating said recording mechanism and returning said registering device to its initial position.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a registering device, ofre'cording mechanism normally inactive, recording mechanism controlling means actuated by said registering device, an electric circuit, electro-magnets in said circuit,means for actuating said recording mechanism, and means actuated by said recording mechanism controlling means for closing said circuit.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally inactive, recording mechanism controlling means actuated by said registering device,

an electric circuit, electro-magnets in-said circuit, means for actuating said recording mechanism, and means actuated by said recording mechanism controlling means'for closing said circuit as said registering device is returned to its initial position.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally inactive, recording mechanism 7 controlling means actuated by said registering device, an electric circuit, electro-magnets in said circuit, means actuated by. said recording mechanism controlling means for closing said circuit, and means for synchronously actuating said recording mechanism and returning said registering device to its initial position.

7. In apparatus of the =character described, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally inactive, an electric circuit, electro-magnets in said circuit, circuit closers, means controlled by said registering device for actuating said circuit closers to energize said magnets to control the operation of said recording mechanism, and means -for actuating said recording mechanism.

8. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally inactive, an electric circuit, electrodnagnets in said circuit, circuit closers, means controlled by said registering device for actuating said circuit closers to energize said magnets to control the operation of said recording mechanism, and means for actuating said recording mechanism as said registering de vice and circuit closer actuating means are returned to their initial positions.

9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally inactive, an electric circuit, elctro-magnets in scribed, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally in active, a series of rotary. elements designed to be actuated in synchronism with the reg istering device while the recordingnicchanism remains idle or inactive, a shaft upon which said rotary elements are free to rotate in one direction, and means for actuating said recording mechanism as said shaft is rotated to return said elements to their initial positions.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism having a series of normally inactive type-carrying members, a series of rotary elements designed to actuated in synchronism with the registering device while the type-carrying members remain idle or inactive, a shaft upon which said rotaryelements are free to rotate in one-direction, means for actuating said type-carrying members'as said shaft is rotated to return said elements to their initial positions, and'means controlled by said elements for .arresting said type-carrying members.

12. In an apparatus of the character de-- scribed, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism having a series of normally inactive type-carrying members, a series of rotary elements designed to be actuated in synchronism with the registering deyice wliilethe type-carrying members remain idle or inactive, a sha it upon which said rotary elements are free to said type-carrying members as said shaft is rotated to return said elements to their ini tial positions, and means for arresting said type-carrying members as said elements begin their return movements.

13. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a registering device, of recording mechanism normally-inactive, a series of rotary elements designed to be actuated by the registering device while the recording mechanism remain s idle or inactive, a shaft upon which said rotary elements are free to rotate inone direction, and means for actuating said recording mechanism as said shaft is rotated to re? urn said elements to their initial positions.

14. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with'a registering rotate irnone direction, means for actuating device having a series of rotary elements, of

recording mechanism normally inactive, a second series of rotary elements designed to be actuated by the first mentioned series ofrota r elements While the recording mechanism remains idle or inactive, a shaft upon which said second series of rotary elements is free to rotate in one direction, andmeansa for actuating said recording mechanism as said shaft is rotated to return both series of elements'to their initial positions.

16. In apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination with a registering device having a series of rotary elements, of recording-mechanism normally inactive, a second series of rotary elements designed to be actuated in synchronism with the firstmentioued series of rotary elements, a shaft upon which said second series of rotary elements is free to rotate in one direction, said shaft and said second series of rotary elements having means whereby said elements may be returned by said shaft to their initial positions, and means for actuating said recording mechanism and shaft in unison. 17. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a registering device having a series of rotary elements, of recording mechanism normally inactive, a second series of rotary elements designed to be actuated in synchronism with the first.-

meutioned series of rotary elements, a shaft upon which said second series of rotary elellltllis' is free to rotate in one direction, said second series of rotary elements carrying lateral projections, an electric circuit, eleciro-magnets, said recording mechanism having type-carr \-'im members designed to be controlled by said elech'o-magncts, circuit closers designed to be actuated by said projections, and means for actuating said recording mechanism and said shaft to return both series-of rotary elements to their initial positions.

18. In an apparatus of the character described. in combination with recording mechanism having a series of reciprocating type-(arr ving members, an electric circuit, electro-imignets having armatnres for controlling said members. a series of circuit closers. a series of elements for actuatirng said circuit closers, means for actuating said elements, and means for actuating said recording mechanism after said circuit is closed.

19. In an apparatus of the character dcsciibed, in combination with recording mechanism having a series'of reciprocating type-carrying members, an electric circuit, electro-magnets having armatures for controlling said members a series of circuitclosers, a series of rotary menibers having means for actuating said circuit closers, means for actuating said rotary -members,

{and means for actuating said recording mechanism after said circuit is closed.

20. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination with registering devices, recording mechanism having a series ofreciprocating type-carrying members, an electric circuit, electro-magnets having armatures for controlling said members, a series of circuit closers, a series of rotary members actuated by' saidregistering devices for operating said'circuit, closers, and means for actuating said recording mechanism when said circuit is closed. 5

' 21; 'In' an apparatus 'of he character described, in combination with 4 registering devices, recording mechanism having a series of reciprocating type-carrying members, an electric circuit, electro-magnets having armatures for controllingsziid members, a series of circuit closers, a series of rotary members actuated by said registering-devices for operating said circuit closers, and means for synchronously actuating said recording mechanism and restoring said registeringtdevices and rotary membersto their initial positions after said ci r cuit is closed.

22. In apparatus of the character described, recording mchanism having a series of reciprocating type-carrying members, each mcmberhaving a series of teeth and an arresting element at one end thereof, such elements being rendered inoperative by ad jacent type-carrying members, and automatically controlled pawls for engaging said teeth and arresting elements.

23. In apparatus of the character de scribed, recording mechanism having a series of reciprocating type-carrying members, each member having an arresting clement capable of being moved out of its normal position by an adjacent type-carrying memher, an electric circuit, electro-magnets controlling pawls for engaging said members and arresting elements, a series of circuit closers, and a series of rota-r members for operating said circuit closers.

24. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination with registering devices, recording mechanism having a series of reciprocating, type-carrying members, each type-carrying member having a series of teeth and a pivoted member at one end of each series of teeth, said pivoted members being moved outof theinnormal positions by adjacent type-carrying mem bers, an electric circuit, electro-magnets con trolling paiy'lsfor engaging said teeth and.

pivoted members, a series of circuit-closers,

a series of rotary members actuated by said tering device, of a series of elements operated in synchronism with said registering device, a series of normally .in-

active type-carrying members having ratchet teeth, a reciprocating bail for movdirection, springs for movingthem in theopposite direction, an electric circuit having a series of circuit-closers designed to be:-

operated by said series of elements when. the latter are being returned to their initial positions, a series of electrounagnets; pawls controlled by said magnets for arresting said type-carrying"members, and a striker designed tovbe actuated in synchronisinfl with the return of said elements to their initial positions. llrtestimony whereof, I have signed this specification'in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN HOLLERITI \Vitnesses:

FRANCIS S. Macnnm, Minimize I. 11mins.

copier 0! this patent may be obtained (or live cents each,- by addressing the Commissioner of lfatcn Waahlngton, D. C." 

